Nevada (12-1) vs. Fresno Pacific (1-9)
Saturday, Dec. 30 - 7 p.m.
TV: Mountain West Network/Nevada Sports Net (John Ramey // Len Stevens)
Radio: KNEV 95.5 FM/The Varsity Network app (John Ramey // Len Stevens)
Live Stream: https://shorturl.at/acfGY
Live Stats: https://shorturl.at/dqIRT
RENO, Nev. - Coming off a highly-successful trip to Hawaii in which the Nevada Men's Basketball team went 4-0 and secured the 2023 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic Championship, the Pack will return to Lawlor Events Center to host Fresno Pacific Saturday evening, as they aim to tie a program record with their 13th victory of the season during the non-conference portion of the schedule.
Saturday's contest is slated to tip-off at 7 p.m. and will be available for viewing on the Mountain West Network and Nevada Sports Net. The game will be aired over the radio on KNEV 95.5 FM and through the Varsity Network app.
Saturday's game will be a blackout, as the Pack will wear their alternate black uniforms and fans are encouraged to wear black.
Nevada returns to Reno after a dominant trip to Hawaii. The Pack opened up the 11-day campaign to Honolulu with a gritty victory over the University of Hawaii, before going on to take down Temple, TCU, and Georgia Tech, as they won the 2023 Diamond Head Classic Championship on Christmas Eve.
Nevada had a dominant showing throughout the Multi-Team Event, taking down two power-five opponents from different conferences in consecutive games for the first time in program history, and completing the three-game tournament with an average scoring margin of +15.0.
In the Championship game on Christmas Eve against Georgia Tech, Nevada shot 49.1 percent from the field, while limiting the Yellow Jackets to just 38.6 percent shooting, as the Pack earned a 72-64 victory over the ACC foe.
Nevada was exceptional on the defensive end of the court, as they also held Georgia Tech to just 23.1 percent shooting from behind the arc, and the 64 points scored by the Yellow Jackets marked the third fewest points that they have scored in a game this season.
The Pack not only had a sensational showing on the defensive end of the court in the Championship; but, they displayed tremendous defensive capability throughout the entire tournament. Over Nevada's three victories in the Diamond Head Classic, the Pack held their opponents to an average of 65.0 points per game on 36.6 percent shooting from the field and 26.5 percent from behind the arc.
Individually, Nevada received outstanding contributions throughout the Diamond Head Classic from a number of different players; however, fifth-year senior guard Jarod Lucas led the way for the Pack. Lucas was incredible throughout the Diamond Head Classic for Nevada, averaging 22.3 points per game on 50 percent shooting from the field and 39.1 percent from behind the arc, while also pulling down 4.0 rebounds per contest. Lucas scored 20+ points in all three games for the Pack, and he was named MVP of the Diamond Head Classic for his outstanding play.
One day after being named tournament MVP, Lucas was then named the Mountain West Player of the Week for the second time in his career and first time this season following his sensational play. The fifth-year senior also received national recognition, as this past Wednesday, he was one of five players to earn Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week honors by the USBWA.
Lucas has scored in double figures in all 13 games for Nevada this season, including scoring 16+ points in eight contests for the Pack. The fifth-year senior currently ranks sixth in the Mountain West in scoring (17.5 PPG), while also ranking third in free throw percentage (92.6%), and seventh in average made 3-pointers per game (2.1).
Fellow fifth-year senior Kenan Blackshear was also immaculate in the Diamond Head Classic for the Pack, and he is coming off one of the best performances of his career in the Championship game. Blackshear scored 30 points on a tremendous 11-14 shooting from the field, while also pulling down five rebounds, dishing out two assists, and recording two steals in Nevada's victory over Georgia Tech. Blackshear was particularly impressive in the second half, scoring 21 points on a perfect 7-7 shooting from the field. Blackshear dominated the game down the stretch, as he recorded 15 points over the final 9:40, including 11 over the final six minutes.
Blackshear was named to the 2023 Diamond Head Classic All-Tournament Team after averaging 20.0 points, per game on 60 percent shooting from the field, in addition to grabbing 5.3 boards per contest, and dishing out 5.0 assists per game.
Blackshear has been superb throughout the 2023-24 season, and he continues to rank within the top-20 in the Mountain West in numerous individual statistical categories. He currently ranks seventh in assists per game (4.6 APG), ninth in points per game (16.8 PPG), 15th in rebounds per game (5.5 RPG), and 17th in field goal percentage (53.5%).
Blackshear has scored in double figures in 11 of 13 games this season for Nevada, including reaching 30+ points twice, and he has also dished out at least three assists in 12 games for the Pack.
Nick Davidson maintained his incredible sophomore campaign at the Diamond Head Classic, averaging 14.0 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, while hitting 60 percent of his field goal attempts throughout the tournament. Davidson had an exceptional game in the Pack's first round victory over Temple, as he scored a career-high 19 points and pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds, recording the first double-double of his career.
After the trip to Hawaii, Davidson ranks first on the team and sixth overall in the Mountain West in rebounds per game (7.2 RPG), while also ranking ninth in the conference in blocks per game (1.0 BPG), and 15th in the league in field goal percentage (55.3%).
With K.J. Hymes being forced to miss Nevada's first two games of the Diamond Head Classic due to illness, the Pack received a tremendous boost from senior guard Daniel Foster throughout the tournament. Foster posted averages of 7.0 points per game, 6.0 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, and 1.0 steals per contest across the Pack's Championship run. Foster was particularly impressive in Nevada's semifinal victory over TCU, scoring 13 points, while pulling down seven rebounds, and recording two steals. Foster ranks 16th in the Mountain West in field goal percentage this season entering Saturday's game, as he is shooting an exceptional 53.5 percent from the field this season.
The Pack also received a boost with the return of redshirt-junior Tylan Pope, who missed the first 10 games of the season for Nevada before making his debut in the opening round of the Diamond Head Classic. Pope got off to a strong start in his Nevada career, scoring seven points in his first action of the season against Temple. Pope went on to average 3.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 14.3 minutes of action per game throughout the Diamond Head Classic.
After an outstanding showing throughout the trip to Hawaii, Nevada's defense continues to rank as one of the premier defenses in the country this season. The Pack has held all 13 of their opponents to less than 50 percent shooting from the field this season, and Nevada has limited nine of 13 opponents to less than 70 points. Nevada currently ranks 26th in the nation in opponent field goal percentage (38.8%), tied for 47th in the country in opponent points per game (64.8 PPG), and 58th in opponent 3-point field goal percentage (29.5%).
Offensively, Nevada has been one of the most prolific teams at taking care of the ball this season, as they rank 20th in the nation in fewest turnovers per game (9.7). The Pack also ranks 67th in the country in field goal percentage, as they hold an impressive clip of 47.4 percent from the field this season.
Nevada has the opportunity to match the program record for most wins throughout the non-conference portion of the season on Saturday night, as the Pack will aim to pick up their 13th victory of the season and improve to 13-1 overall and 8-0 at home.
Scouting Fresno Pacific
Fresno Pacific enters Saturday's contest with an overall record of 1-9 on the season, including a mark of 0-3 in the Pacific West Conference.
Sophomore guard Isaac Peralta has led the way for the Sunbirds this season, as he is averaging a team-high 12.1 points per game on 37.3 percent shooting from the field and 76.0 percent from the free throw line. Peralta also leads the team in assists (2.2 APG) and steals (1.8 SPG) this season, while ranking second on the team in rebounding (5.2 RPG).
Redshirt freshman forward Harrison Pennisi has also been impressive for Fresno Pacific this season, as he is averaging a team-high 6.1 rebounds per game and is second on the team in scoring at 9.4 points per game on a stellar clip of 50.7 percent shooting from the field. Pennisi is coming off a season-high 15-point outing against Cal State LA, and the freshman has pulled down five or more rebounds in eight of nine games this season.
Sophomore guard Kyle Monk is the third player for the Sunbirds that is averaging at least 8.0 points per game, as he is putting up 8.1 points and 3.4 boards per contest this season. Monk is shooting a team-high 88.0 percent from the free throw line this year, as he has knocked down 22 of 25 attempts.
Saturday's contest will be the second game of the year against a Division I opponent for Fresno Pacific, as the Sunbirds lost to Fresno State 77-66 in their first game of the season.
Series History
Saturday will mark the first time throughout history that Nevada and Fresno Pacific have faced on the court.
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